Protective eyepiece



June 19, 1945.

'W. A.IWHIPPl .E ETAL PROTECTIVE EYEPIECE 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Aug. 17, 1943 Mi-HHHIIIIIIIII HHH!! I! l HH June 19, 1945. w. A. WHIPPLE ET Al. 2,378,887

PROTECTIVE EYEPIECE f Filed Aug. 17, 1943 2 s'hets-fsheet 2 I l Af/70 Hlllllmm I @M 78 'hum 7- v Patented June 19,` 1945 PROTECTIVE EYEPIECE l Willis A. Whipple and Robert L. Malcom, Chicago, p Ill., assignors to `Chicago Eye Shield Company, a corporation of Illinois" Applicationnugust 17,1943, serial No. 493,996` f i t t 1` claim. f This invention relates to protectors of the helmet ormask type used to prevent injury to the eyes, faces, and heads of Welders and others by glaring light, sparks, and other particles.

More particularly, the invention pertains to the eyepieces of such protective devices that `include tv vo frames, constituting inner `and outer members, slidable one within the other to` assembly inthe sight opening of a sheet material facepiece with the marginal area of the material adjacent to the opening clamped between the two frames. The inner frame has a rather thin l wall.

Itis an object of the invention to form the inner frame with members outside of its wall to receive fasteners holding the two frames toreceptive members and the outer frame that those members function to guide the two frames to assembled position in the facepiece and contribute to maintenance of the frames in proper relation to each other.

` When considered with the description herein,

` characteristics of the invention are apparent in the accompanying drawings, forming parthereof,

`wherein an adaptation of the inventionis disclosed for purpose of explanation.

Like reference-characters refer to corresponding parts in the views of the drawings, of Whichemplifiedinthe drawings it is of `such material and of rectangular shape. `An inner member 9 of the eyepiece flange IIJ extending laterally and outwardly from I end Walls Il and upper and lower walls I2. The

flange is arcuate to conform to the curvature and to abut closely against the inside of the facepiece. I

The Wall part of the inner frame is of such outside shape and dimension that it ts rather closely gainst the edge of the facepiece sight opening. 'I'he front edge of the wall lies in a plane. Pillarlike members I3 fixed on the frameoutside of the wall thereof at the ends extend almost to the edge of thewall. They maybe formed on and integrally with the endwalls and flange, during molding or other fabrication `of the frame, and then they constitute end wall strengthening members. Flanges I4 inside of the wall at each end provide a seat for a glass retaining spring.

The `inner'frame is for association with an outer frame I5 that comprises end walls I6 and upper and lower walls I l. The outer or front side of the outer frame is a flat surface on which is a substantially rectangularrib I8 within which a marginal ange I5 extends inwardly of the opening inside of the Walls. The end Walls I6 are formed with slots 20 of a size and shape snugly toreceive the members I3 of the inner frame. The wall edge is arcuate to conform to the curvature of the inner member ange I0. The outer frame has passages 2I extending thereinto from its front, these passages being aligned with the members I3 to accommodate fasteners extend- `ing into those members.

Fig. 1 is a front View; 35 The side and end walls of the inner frame 9 and Fig. 2 is a front view of the inner frame; of the outer frame I5 constitute, on each of those Fig. 3 is an end View of that frame; frames, a single encompassing wall, and that of Fig 4 is a section on line 4..;4, Fig 2; the inner frame defines the sight opening through 5 is a front view of the outer member; 6 is a rear view of that member; 7 is a section on line 1 1, Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8 8, Fig. 5.

The eyepiece of the invention is for closure of the sight opening 1n the arcuate front of a facepiece to prevent injury to the eyes of the user. 'I'he facepiece may be of sheet material of any suitable kind. Itis conventional to make it of tough and substantially rigid I fiber material pressed to shape. The facepiece material is designated in the drawings by the numeral 8.

Frames of the eyepiece may be made of metal or other suitable material. Currently it is common practice to make them of strong and come,

.paratively light moldable material, and as ex- `ner frame rests on the anges I4. `The outer frame is pushed over the innerframe until its wall edges are against the outer side of the facepiece. The spring 22 holds a glass 23 against the flange I9 of the outer member. This glass usually is clear. Suitable fasteners, such as screws 24, are disposed through the passages 2I of the includes a such fasteners as screws, and they constitute strengthening elements for the end walls.

An eyepiece of thiskind is fitted witha colored glass to protect a workman from glare of intense light such as encountered inweldin'g,thefglass being mounted so that it maybe swung 'out of the line of sight, when clear vision is desired. Such a colored glass 25 may be carried in a frame 26 having a part 21 through which extends a pivot-pin 28 carried by ears 29 on the outer frame I5. When the frame-26 is closed, its inner. marginal surface contacts the .surface of the outer frame, and ithasa groove 30 to receive the `rib I8, so that light is prevented from entering back of the coloredglass.

We claim:

An eyepiece, for association with a protective facepiece of sheet materialat its sight opening, comprising an inner` frame including a wall, defining a sight opening, to extend from the inside through the facepiece sight opening, a flange extending laterally and outwardly from said wall to abut the inside of the facepiece, and pillar-like members on the outside of and protruding from said wall and extending toward the `front of said frame, an outer frame, adapted to have associated with it means to carry a protective transparent member, said outer frame comprising a wall encompassing the wall of said inner frame and having slots in which said pillar-like members are disposed and said'outer frame having a back edge to clamp the facepiece against -the flange of said inner frame, and fasteners extending from the front of said outer frame into said pillar-like members maintaining the two frames together.

' WILLIS A. WHIPPLE.

ROBERT L. MALCOM. 

